Apparatus for manufacturing viscose rayon yarn



m. 3,, am A. s. BQWN ETAL APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VISCOSE RAYON YARN Filed Aug. 25, J.945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 final,

INVENTOR i Q; Fem J. 520w.

67mm 56 d1 BAR/ww- ATTORNEY mm 3,, 195% A. 5. BROWN EI'AL. 2,524,,m8

- APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VISCOSE RAYON YARN FiledvAug. 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 3, 1950 APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VISCOSE RAYON YARN Alfred S. Brown, Uti ca, and Charles J. Barrow, Albany, N. Y.,- assignors to Skenandoa Rayon Corporation, Utiea, N. Y., a corporation of Dela,-

Application August 25, 1945, Serial No. 612,620

4- Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of rayon by the viscose process and more particularly to apparatus for the manufacture of viscose rayon yarn or thread of improved textile characteristics.

It'has long been known that the strength of viscose rayon yarn is increased by stretching the yarn during spinning, this increase in strength being enhanced if the stretching is performed while the yarn is being treated with hot water. In all viscose spinning systems the viscose solution is extruded through a plurality of holes in a spinneret, which is immersed in a bath containing perhaps eight to ten per cent of sulfuric acid.

The action of this bath on the extruded viscose forms a thread comprising a plurality of individual filaments, the thread being drawn through and out of this bath by some mechanical'means. In the two-bath viscose spinning systems the young thread emerging from thehighly acid bath is then subjected to the action of asecond bath containing perhaps one per centof sulfuric acid, this bath being maintained'at an elevated temperature in the range of 60 to 100 C. The thread is often stretched as much as 100 per cent during its exposure to this second bath.

Numerous disclosures in the prior art are concerned with details of the operation of two-bath viscose spinning systems, as these details are of utmost importance in determining the textile qualities of the resultant yarn.

The provision of apparatus for spinning viecose yarn or thread of improved textile qualities is a primary object of this invention. 7

Another object of'this invention is the provision of a viscose spinning apparatus, which improves the yarns textile qualities and still requires only a moderate exposure of the running yarn to the several baths.

A further object of the present invention isthe provision of apparatus for the making of viscose rayon yarn, the filaments of which are substantially homogeneous.

further object of the present invention is the provision of apparatus by which a process may be carried out for improving the efiectiveness of the hot bath in the two-bath spinning of viscose.

A further object of' the present invention is the provision of apparatus for the manufacture of rayon yarn as aforesaid wherein the improved qualities imparted by this novel spinning system will be retained the running ya'r'n.

2 that each running thread is everywhere readily accessible to the operators of the machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for the driving of the several godet wheels and for the independent control of the speeds of each, so as to afiord a desired control of the distribution or allocation of the stretching to a selected desired portion of the process as carried on continuously and commercially by allocating such stretching to a selected portion of the'run of the thread or yarn.

The attainment of these objectives is described in the following specification, which also discloses still further and detailed objects of this invention.

We have found that the textile quality of viscose yarn is materially improved when the twobath spinning system is so operated as to restrict the stretching of the yarn to the time immediately after the yarns emergence from the bath of the hot dilute acid, this improvement in quality being particularly great when a substantial length of the running yarn in a relaxed state is wholly enclosed by the hot dilute acid of the sec 'ond bath prior to any stretching of the yarn.

We have found, furthermore, that the accurate localization of the stretching operation is reflected in the yarns textile qualities in a surprisingly critical manner.

These findings may be explained in terms of the cross-sectional homogeneity of the individual filaments in the yarn, although we do not wish to be limited to any particular theory of theob-- served effects of this invention. It is apparent that the reactien between the acid of the first bath and the viscose extruded through a spinn er'et hole must take place at the surface of thefilament, producing a skin of regenerated cellulose. Reaction between the acid and the generally interior regions of the filaments must await either the elimination of both chemical and physical strain differences.

The action of a very hot dilute acid on a youngfilament appears te be chiefly a relatively rapid- 3 regeneration of the cellulose in the interior of the filament. Hence a short exposure of the young filament to such a bath tends to make the filament chemically homogeneous in that the whole filament rapidly becomes regenerated cellulose. If this completion of the spinning reaction takes place on substantially relaxed yarn, there will be only a minimum of localized straining of the filaments cellulose, and subsequent stretching will operate uniformly over the crosssection of the filament to produce a stretched filament that is physically as well as chemically homogeneous. As far as we have been able to ascertain the critical factors are: first, to keep the dilute acid bath very hot and in uniform contact with the filaments; and second, to restrict any stretching of the filaments to a time after substantial completion of the action of the hot dilute acid.

The present invention, therefore, may be described as apparatus forthe manufacture of viscose rayon by a process wherein filaments are formed in a first bath containing about seven to ten percent sulfuric acid; wherein the bundle of filaments is transferred to a second bath of hot dilute acid by positively driven means exclusively, viz. without contacting any stationary or idling guide which would create any frictional tension in the thread; wherein the filaments are then subjected freely and in a relaxed state to the action of the hot dilute acid of the second bath; wherein the filaments are led from the second bath by positively driven means; and wherein after emergence from the second bath, the filaments are given a first stretching. According to the practics of this invention, the run of the filaments in each bath need only be moderate, distances of about 6 to about 25 inches generally being suf. ficient, so that the need of elaborate and perhaps even harmful thread storage devices is eliminated.

As above set forth, it is contemplated that the apparatus of the present invention may be employed to provide different lengths of runs through the spinning bath and through the second bath. Furthermore, the amount of stretch imparted to the filaments is relatively low, a stretch not over about being generally sufiicient to produce a yarn with a tenacity of more than 3 grams per denier; even though the viscose is prepared from wood pulp and the first spinning bath is of a simple, low zinc ion type.

Insofar as We are able to ascertain, the theory explained above is substantiated inthatyarn made according to this process and .by the novel apparatus as disclosed and claimed herein, is exceptionally tough and, on dyeing, appears to have exceptional cross-sectional homogeneity.

The practice of our invention is more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein we also show certain additional processes and apparatus features that we sometimes prefer to add to those above described.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown in more or less diagrammatic form a portion of a spinning machine. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammaticview, principally in plan, of a rayon yarn spinning machine, illustrating the passage of the yarn through the two baths above referred to;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view principally in vertical section as seen from the right of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a common drive and the drive therefrom for each of the godet Wheels and for the metering pump in the viscose supply to the unit.

4 Referring now to the accompanying drawings, we have shown a trough or tank I for liquid, com" prising a first or spinning bath 2. Into this bath extends a plurality of pipes or goosenecks 3, each of which has a spinneret 4 at its end beneath the surface of the spinning bath 2. As indicated in Fig. 1, there are a number of similar'units arranged side by side along the length of the machine, which may have any desired number of suchunits. It will be understood that viscose is forced through the pipes or goosenecks 3 and thence through the apertures in the spinnerets 4 in the usual manner and .by any suitable means such as those now conventional in the art. The viscose is extruded through the several holes in each spinneret 4 to form a plurality of filaments as indicated at 5 beneath the surface of the spinning bath 2, these filaments collecting together to form, a single thread or strand of yarn as shown generally at 6. The yarn 6 passes for a substantial distance through the spinning bath 2 to regenerate some of the cellulose of the filaments thereof, then emerges therefrom and passes around a first godet wheel 1. These wheels are disposed with their axes in a vertical plane extending inside and parallel to the tank or trough l, and longitudinal of the machine, the axes being, however, at a relatively small angle, in the order of magnitude of 8 to 25 and more specifically of 14 or 15, to the vertical, so as to provide a substantial distance of travel through the spinning bath 2 prior to the emergence of the thread 6 therefrom. The wheel I is positively driven at a desired speed by any suitable mechanism, which is described more in detail hereinafter in reference to Fig. 3.

The thread 6 passes thence into a second bath 8, which is contained in a longitudinally extending trough or tank 9 parallel to and at about the same level as the bath 2 and the tank 0r trough I. The liquid of this second bath may contain substantially the same chemicals as that of the spinning bath 2, but is preferably more dilute than such spinning bath and, further, is preferably maintained at a temperature in the range of about to C. No heating means for the liquid in the second bath 8 are shown in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood that the liquid thereof may be heated and maintained within a desired temperature range by the use of any suitable means (not shown). Within the second bath 8 the running thread 6 passes thence around a second godet wheel l0, which is arranged with its axis substantially horizontal, and at a suitable angle to the bath, so that the thread may be maintained thereon, and is positively driven at a peripheral speed the same as or slightly slower than that of the wheel I. The angle in question here is preferably in the order of magnitude of 10 to 30 with respect to a perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the machine, that is, with respect to a vertical line as seen in Fig. 1. More specifically this angle may be about 17 in a preferred form of the apparatus. The mechanism for supporting the wheel ID of each unit is not shown herein and per se forms no part of the present invention. A driving means therefor is shown didagrammatically in Fig. 3. The wheels 1 and [0 of each unit are so disposed and arranged in respect to each other and in respect to the second bath 8 that the thread 6 will have a substantial period of travel through the liquid of this bath out of contact with any solid body including the wheel l0, so

as to permit free access of the liquid in the second bath 8 to all the filaments of the yarn passing therethrough in a uniform manner and thereby substantially to complete the regeneration of the cellulose of the filaments. The maintenance'of the liquid of the second bath 8 at elevated temperatures supplies heat to the thread or yarn during its passage therethrough and tends to accelerate the chemical and physical reactions or operations takin place, so that the cellulose will be substantially completely regenerated and, at the same time, will .be swelled to a certain extent, which may tend to cause a shrinkage of the yarn in length. To compensate for this shrinkage, the wheel l6 may be run at a somewhat lower peripheral speed th-an'that of the associated wheel "5. However, it is desired as far as possible to prevent any substantial stretching of the yarn between its emergence from the liquid of the spinning bath 2 and its emergence from the liquid of the second bath 8. To this end, the thread is preferably not passed around any nonerotating guides by which its direction is changed, nor is it passed around any non-positively driven rollers in the form of o idlers as has been customary with many prior art arrangements.

Once the regeneration of the cellulose has been substantially completed in a uniform manner as just described, it is now possible to stretch it uniformly. For the purpose of this stretching, the yarn is passed from the godet wheel I!) around a third godet wheel ll, about which it may pass twice in a so-called double wrap, passingaround an intermediate guide l2 to prevent the crossing of the thread on this wheel. While we have chosen to show herein a double wrap around the godet wheel ll, this is not always essential in practice. 'It willbe understood that if but one turn is taken around the wheel l l', the guide l2 may be dispensed with. Again, the godet wheel H is positively driven at a predetermined speed by suitable means hereinafter more particularly described in respect to Fig. 3.

In order that the running thread may be everywhere readily accessible to the operators of the machine, we preferably arrange the third godet wheel I I so as to provide for a substantially vertical run of the yarn from the second godet wheel It to the third godet wheel ll. Thus an operator standing in front of the machine (on the left as seen in Fig. 2) and who may not be an excessively tall man, may easily reach godet wheels ill and H to lace up the godet array in starting up the spinning operation.

The yarn passes from the wheel ll around a fourth godet wheel I3 and thence downwardly through the usual funnel M to a spinning pot it operated by a motor (not shown) in the conventional manner, this beingfor the present purposes a collecting point for theyarn. So far as the present invention is concerned, the means I l-l 5 may be considered as the conventional and known means new in commercial use in the pot or cake spinning of rayon, the pot l5 being rotated at a relatively high speed, and the funnel it being substantially vertically reciprocated by suitable means (not shown), so as to build up a yarn bundle or cake within the pot l5, which is removed from time to time by the machine operator.

Intermediate the arrival of the yarn onto the periphery of the godet wheel ll and its point of leaving the fourth godet wheel l3, the yarn may be washed and cooled by the provision of suitable means such, for example, as spray noz- Zles l6 and l! directed toward the path of the yarn over wheels ll and I3, respectively, and

adapted to supply sprays of cold water or other washing or treating liquids onto the yarn at these points in its travel. The flow of water or other liquids through the spray nozzles l8 and i7 may be respectively controlled by suitable valves l8 and It. We have also shown diagrammatically a collecting system for the liquids sprayed onto the wheels H and l3, comprising funnel means 20 and El, drain tubes 22 and 23 and a receptacle 24 from which the liquid may be led off in any desired manner (not shown).

.We also contemplate and under certain circumstances may desire to efiecta certain amount of drying of the yarn during'this portion of its travel and thus preferably provide for this purpose an air nozzle generally indicated at 25, shown as directed onto the path of the yarn as it approaches its point of tangency with the periphery of the wheel l3. Air flow through the nozzle 25 may be controlled by a suitable valve generally indicated at 26. This air is preferably controlled as to temperature and humidity to predetermined points or ranges and may be at a temperature of about F. and at a humidity substantially below its saturation point, so as to effect a drying of the yarn. This drying involves the evaporation of water from the yarn, which has an inherent effect of cooling the yarn to a certain extent due to the latent heat of vaporization of the water evaporated. It will be understood, of course, that in the event the air nozzle 25 is used for drying and/or cooling the yarn, the valve it will usually be cut off, so that no water will be sprayed onto the yarn through the spray nozzle l1; although the spray nozzle It may be in operation simultaneously with the air nozzle 25. Qne way which we now propose to use this phase of the present invention is to employ the air nozzles 25 of each unit for supplying to the spinning room the air which is normally supplied to such rooms, thus not only humidifying the air in the spinning room, but also blowing this airdirectly onto the yarn for the aforesaid purpose.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown, in a diagrammatic manner only, a means for driving certain of the positively driven means hereinabove described. In a commercially practical machine, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1, there will be a number of similar units side by side along the length of the machine. It is to be understood that the drive for the first godet wheel 'l of each of these units is preferably common throughout substantially the length of the machine, or at least throughout, a substantial section thereof, and will include a longitudinally extending shaft from which the first godet wheel 1 of eachof the units is driven. The same type of drive is preferablyprovided respectively for the second, third and fourth godet wheels, it, H and E3 of each unit along the entire machine or a section thereof. A similar arrangement is provided for the metering pumps of each unit, so that in practice all the units in a group will operate in a substantially similar manner.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated in a diagrammatic manner a common drive for but one unit, neces sary changes from this diagrammatic showing being effected in the-design of a complete commercial machine as may be required. As shown,

' a common driving means 27 is provided which may be a substantially constant speed electric mon driving means 21, as shown, drives a shaft 28 from which a drive to the several operating instrumentalities of each unit are taken off.

Considering first the drive for the metering pump, which is diagrammatically illustrated at 29 and is interposed in the fluid passage to the gooseneck 3 for the supply of liquid viscose thereto, this pump is provided with a shaft 30 and is of such a design that the flow of viscose is substantially directly proportional to the speed of this shaft. As shown, the shaft 30 is connected through bevel gears 3| to a shaft 32 to be driven thereby. The shaft 32 is arranged to be driven from a suitable speed varying apparatus 33, the driving shaft for which is shown at 34. The shaft 34 is driven from the shaft 28 through bevel gears shown at 35. The speed varying apparatus 33 may be of any desired type such, for example, as a Reeves or P-I-V drive. justing means here shown as a wheel 35 is provided for varying the relative speeds of rotation of the shafts 32 and 34, or more particularly for varying the speed of rotation of the shaft 32 for a constant speed of the shaft 34.

The first godet wheel I is provided with drive means from the common drive shaft 29 including the shafts 3'1 and 38, the wheel I being shown mounted on the shaft 3i and with this shaft driven from the shaft 38 through a speed varying apparatus 39, which may be essentially similar to the apparatus 33 previously described and may be controlled by a suitable adjusting wheel 46 in the usual manner. The shaft 38 is shown as driven from the shaft 28 through bevel gears 4|.

The second godet wheel I9 is shown as mounted on a shaft 42 driven through bevel gears 43 from a shaft 44, which in turn is driven from a shaft 45 through a speed varying apparatus 46 similar to those previously described. The speed of the shaft 44, and hence that of the second godet wheel l0, may be controlled for a constant speed of the shaft 45 by varying adjustment of a wheel 41 controlling the ratio of speed between the input and output shafts 45 and 44 passing to and from the apparatu 46. The shaft 45 is shown driven from the common drive shaft 28 through bevel gears 48.

The third godet wheel II is driven similarly to the second godet wheel [0 through bevel gears 49, a shaft 50, a speed varying apparatus 5i controlled by a wheel 52, a shaft 53, and bevel gears 54 from the common drive shaft 28.

The fourth godet wheel 13 is similarly driven through bevel gears 55, a shaft 56, speed varying apparatus 51 controlled by a wheel 58, and a shaft 59 from the common drive shaft 28 through bevel gears 9|].

Thus it will be seen that for any one unit there are means for driving the several positively driven instrumentalities thereof including the metering pump 29 for supplying viscose to the spinneret and the first, second, third and fourth godet wheels 1, l8, H and i3, respectively; and that interposed between the common drive (shaft 28 as herein shown) and each of these operating instrumentalities is respectively interposed a speed varying apparatus by which the speed of such operating instrumentalities may be respectively variably controlled.

In practice, as hereinabove set forth, it is desired that the stretching of the thread take place not sooner in the course of thread travel than that portion of its travel beyond the second godet A suitable ad.

wheel and preferably between that wheel and the wheel I is adjusted to rotate at a. peripheral speed at least as fast as that of the second godet wheel l8. Also, the peripheral speed of the third godet wheel is adjusted to be a predetermined proportion greater than that of the second godet wheel I8 so as to provide a desired stretching during this run of the thread. Following this stretching, it is further desired to provide a controlled relaxing of the thread by permitting a predetermined shrinkage in the length thereof in a controllable manner. To this end the peripheral speed of the fourth godet wheel [3 may be adjusted to be not faster than that of the third godet wheel II, and preferably a predetermined proportion slower than that of such third godet wheel. All these speed adjustments may be made by suitably adjusting the apparatus 33, 39, 46, 5| and 51 by means of their adjusting wheels 36, 48, 41, 52 and 58, respectively.

From the above it will be seen that we have provided apparatus for the carrying out of a process by which the yarn is moved continuously along its path, passing solely over and around positively driven wheels, rather than idlers or stationary guides, with the exception of guides used incident to double wrapping of godet wheels. We have further provided apparatus by which the stretching of the yarn may be specifically and substantially solely allocated to a desired part of the process, viz. after the substantial completion of the action of the second bath. The present apparatus further provides for the regeneration of the cellulose to be carried substantially to completion in a uniform manner by exposing the yarn for a substantial period of time in its path of travel between the spinneret and the collecting point to the action of a heated dilute second bath, during a major part of which action the yarn is out of contact with any solid body, which might tend to interfere with the uniform chemical, physical and thermal action of the liquid of this second bath upon the yarn. We further provide apparatus for washing and/or partial drying of yarn while cooling it subsequent to the stretching operation and prior to its being passed to the collecting point. In this step of the process it may in some instances be preferred to provide for a certain amount of shrinkage in the length of the yarn. For this purpose the wheel I 3 may be run at a somewhat lower peripheral speed than that of the wheel II.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that certain of these features have independent utility and some may be used without the others, while some may be varied by the substitution of other means or process steps within the knowledge of the art. We do not wish to be limited, therefore, except by the scope of the appended claims, which are to be construed validly as broadly as the state of the prior art permits.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for manufacturing thread comprising a first elongated trough containing a spinning bath, a second elongated trough containing a second bath disposed substantially parallel to said first trough, a plurality of spinnerets arranged in close together side-by-side relation in said first trough for extruding jets of thread-forming material into said spinning bath to form a plurality of threads therein, a plurality of positively driven godets havin substantially vertical axes located between said troughs and above the liquid surface thereof and constituting the sole means for drawing the formed threads in a straight line path from the spin nerets and for passing said threads onward toward said second bath, said godets being disposed in close together side-by-side relation opposite said spinnerets but offset laterally therefrom to provide a substantial distance of thread travel through said spinning bath for each thread, a plurality of positively driven godets partially immersed in said second bath and having substantially horizontal axes, said godets being disposed in close together side-by-side relation opposite said first godets but offset laterally therefrom in a direction opposite the offset relation prevailing between said spinnerets and said first godets so as to provide a substantial distance of straight line thread travel through said second bath for each thread, a plurality of positively driven third series of godets having substantially horizontal axes each arranged to receive the thread directly from a corresponding one of the second mentioned godets, means for driving said third series of godets at a peripheral speed greater than that of the second series of godets and a series of means for further treating and collecting said threads.

2. Apparatus for manufacturing thread comprising a first elongated trough containing a spinning bath, a second elongated trough containing a second bath disposed substantially parallel to said first trough, a plurality of spinnerets arranged in close together side-by-side relation in said first trough for extruding jets of thread-forming material into said spinning bath to form a plurality of threads therein, a plurality of positively driven godets having substantially vertical axes located between said troughs and above the liquid surface thereof and constituting the sole means for drawing the formed threads in a straight line path from the spinnerets and for passing said threads onward toward said second bath, said godets beingdisposed in close together side-by-side relation opposite saidv spinnerets but offset laterally therefrom to provide a substantial distance of thread travel through said spinning bath for each thread, a plurality of positively driven godets partially immersed in said second bath and having substantially horizontal axes, said godets being disposed in close together side-by-side relation opposite said first godets but offset laterally therefrom in a direction opposite the offset relation prevailing between said spinnerets and said first godets so as to provide a substantial distance of straight line thread travel through said second bath for each thread, means for driving both series of godets at substantially the same peripheral speed, a plurality of positively driven third series of godets having substantially horizontal axes each arranged to receive the thread directly from a corresponding one of the second mentioned godets, means for driving said third series of godets at a peripheral speed greater than that of the second series of godets, and a series of means for further treating and collecting said threads.

3. Apparatus for manufacturing thread comprising a first elongated trough containing a spinning bath, a second elongated trough containing a second bath disposed substantially parallel to said first trough, a plurality of spinnerets arranged in close together side-by-side relation in said first trough for extruding jets of threadforming material into said spinning bath to form a plurality of threads therein, a plurality of positively driven godets having substantially vertical axes located between said troughs and above l 7 the liquid surface thereof and constituting the sole means for drawing the formed threads in a v straight line path from the spinnerets and for passing said threads onward toward said second bath, said godets being disposed in close together side-by-side relation opposite said spinnerets but offset laterally therefrom to provide a substantial distance of thread travel through said spinning bath for each thread, a plurality of positively driven godets partially immersed in said second bath and having substantially horizontal axes, said godets being disposed in close together arranged to receive the thread directly from a corresponding one of the second mentioned godets, means for driving said third series of godets at a peripheral speed greater than that of the second series of godets to stretch said threads, a plurality of positively driven fourth series of godets each arranged to receive the thread from a corresponding one of the third mentioned godets, means for driving said fourth series of godets at a peripheral speed less than that of the third series of godets to relax the tension on said threads and a plurality of collecting means cooperating with each of said fourth series f godets.

4. Apparatus for manufacturing thread comprising a first elongated trough containing a spinning bath, a second elongated trough containing a second bath disposed substantially parallel to said first trough, a plurality of spinnerets arranged in close together side-by-side relation in said first trough for extruding jets of threadforming material into said spinning bath to form a plurality of threads therein, a plurality of positively driven godets having substantially vertical axes located between said troughs and above the liquid surface thereof and constituting the sole means for drawing the formed threads in a straight line path from the spinnerets and for passing said threads onward toward said second bath, said godets being disposed in close together side-by-side relation opposite said spinnerets but offset laterally therefrom to provide a substantial distance of thread travel through said spinning bath for each thread, a plurality of positively driven godets partially immersed in said second bath and having substantiall horizontal axes, said godets being disposed in close together side-by-side relation opposite said first godets but oifset laterally therefrom in a direction opposite the offset relation prevailing between said spinnerets and said first godets so as to provide a substantial distance of straight line thread travel through said second bath for each thread, means for driving both series of godets at substantially 7 the same peripheral speed, a pluralit of positively driven third series of godets having substantially horizontal axes each arranged to receive the thread directly from a corresponding one of the second mentioned godets, means for driving said third series of godets at a peripheral speed greater than that of the second series of godets, a plurality of positively driven fourth series of godets each arranged to receive the thread from a corresponding one of the third mentioned godets, means for driving said fourth series of 11 godets at a peripheral speed less than that of the third series of godets and a plurality of collecting means cooperating with each of said fourth series of godets.

ALFRED S. BROWN.

CHARLES J. BARROW.

REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

Number 12 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hegan et al Mar. 7, 1933 Knebusch et a1. Dec. 24, 1940 Moritz et a1 Apr. 18, 1944 Polak May 9, 1944 Thurmond Feb. 13, 1945 

1. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THREAD COMPRISING A FIRST ELONGATED TROUGH CONTAINING A SPINNING BATH, A SECOND ELONGATED TROUGH CONTAINING A SECOND BATH DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST TROUGH, A PLURALITY OF SPINNERETS ARRANGED IN CLOSE TOGETHER SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION IN SAID FIRST TROUGH FOR EXTRUDING JETS OF THREAD-FORMING MATERIALS INTO SAID SPINNING BATH TO FORM A PLURALITY OF THREADS THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF POSITIVELY DRIVEN GODETS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXES LOCATED BETWEEN SAID TROUGHS AND ABOVE THE LIQUID SURFACE THEREOF AND CONSTITUTING THE SOLE MEANS FOR DRAWING THE FORMED THREADS IN A STRAIGHT LINE PATH FROM THE SPINNERETS AND FOR PASSING SAID THREADS ONWARD TOWARD SAID SECOND BATH, AND GODETS BEING DISPOSED IN CLOSE TOGETHER SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION OPPOSITE AND SPINNERETS BUT OFFST LATERALLY THEREFROM TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE OF THREAD TRAVEL THROUGH SAID SPINNING BATH FOR EACH THREAD, A PLURALITY OF POSITIVELY DRIVEN GODETS PARTIALLY IMMERSED IN SAID SECOND BATH AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXES, SAID GODETS BEING DISPOSED IN CLOSE TOGETHER SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION OPPOSITE SAID FIRST GODETS BUT OFFSET LATERALLY THEREFROM IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THE OFFSET RELATION PREVAILING BETWEEN SAID SPINNERETS AND SAID FIRST GODETS SO AS TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE OF STRAIGHT LINE THREAD TRAVEL THROUGH SAID SECOND BATH FOR EACH THREAD, A PLURALITY OF POSITIVELY DRIVEN THIRD SERIES OF GODETS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXES EACH ARRANGED TO RECEIVE THE THREAD DIRECTLY FROM A CORRESPONDING ONE OF THE SECOND MENTIONED GODETS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID THIRD SERIES OF GODETS AT A PERIPHERAL SPEED GREATER THAN THAT OF THE SECOND SERIES OF GODETS AND A SERIES OF MEANS FOR FURTHER TREATING AND COLLECTING SAID THREADS. 